Hi, so I've had my 6MT for about 2 months now and I noticed that the shifter is getting a lil rough? There's more resistance when shifting into second, third, etc. It feels like the gears are grinding b/c the clutch isnt fully disengaged but I have the clutch all the way to the floor when i shift. I was wondering what the problem is? Also, when I first start up my car, the shifting is buttery smooth like when I first got it (from what I can remember). I'm just a lil paranoid about my driving skills I guess.

another thing with the shifter is that when in neutral or in any gear, the shifter has some play in it. I can wiggle it up and down like a half an inch both ways. I can't remember if it did this the first time i got it.

Also, when in a lower gear, such as 2nd or 3rd, and driving at a low speed, the throttle modulation is horrible.

is all this normal? or am i just a bad driver...

 

You might want to check on the clutch fluid. It could be low or need bleeding. How many miles are on the car and what year? You should flush the clutch fluid every couple years at a minimum. For whatever reason, it gets filthy.

That could fix the feeling of the clutch not disengaging. The rest of the stuff is normal. You'll get better at the low speed throttle modulation.

 

thanks lukeatron for the reply, you're always answering my noob questions hahah

but yeah, I was thinking that the problems might go away once I do my scheduled 60k maintenance in about 1500 miles but I think i'll do it as soon as I get paid in a week or so.

My car is an 04 with 60,xxx miles

as for the throttle modulation, I am very smooth with other cars, but this one for some reason is pretty bad. Is it because the throttle is electronically controlled? It seems to open and close pretty abruptly when Im just cruising around town or even in a parking lot.

 

The DBW throttle is indeed the problem. The response rate at very low throttle openings is just too abrupt. It took me a few months of driving it before I was able to be smooth at low speeds. One trick I found is to use second gear, very little throttle and lots of clutch feathering at those low speeds (parking lots, creeping traffic, etc.).

I would not wait for the service. If your clutch isn't fully releasing, your transmission is taking a beating every time you shift. You might just mention your problem to the dealer and have the service done a little early.

 

oh ok. thanks again man. ill do the maintenance asap.

 

so for the 60k check up, should I definitely go to a dealership? or can I take it to a reputable auto shop instead.

Ive heard many stories about the dealerships cutting many corners. How much does a 60k check up usually cost? around 500?

 

switch the tranny fluid to gm synchromesh too when you get the service done

 

thanks dmassott, ill keep that in mind!

 

The play you notice in the shifter is the shift linkage ontop of the trans. Cant "fix" it. You can replace the shift bushings, but these are generally not the cause of the play. There is a brass connecting lever ontop of the trans that usually develops some play in it which sounds like you are feeling. The only way to take out the slop is to open up the trans which is a little overkill for some slop in the shifter.

 

oh all right. but it's not too detrimental to my tranny right? i can just leave it be?

 

Wait is your shifter dragging between gears or is it just not as precise as you want it?

 

If this notichy feeling continues after the maintenance, be warned, it could also be the master cylinder going, but this is the extreme side of things. Mine went early, mainly due to significantly stronger clutch pressure plate, but none-the-less, it is something you'll want to be mindful of over the next 30k miles. You'll know the master cylinder is cooked when 1st is nearly impossible to get into at a stop.

 

what do you mean by dragging? it just feels like it's harder to get the shifter into gear due to resistance but not by grinding the gears.

after reading more into it, i hope my CMC doesnt have to replace b/c i have no extra money at the moment..

 

What I'm trying to figure out is if the problem is related to the clutch not releasing fully. If that's the case, the synchro rings will not be able bring the two shafts into the propper synchronization for the gear and the splines will not slide together smoothly like they should. Instead, the ends of the splines will grind against the mating splines until they just happen to be lined up and suddenly slip together. With the cable transmission you might not be able to feel the notchiness but the shifter will have a lot of resistance right as you enter the gate. If you keep pushing on the shifter it will eventually and abruptly pop into gear.

If that describes what you're experiencing, you should get it fixed sooner rather than later as it's brutal on the synchro rings and can even cause bigger problems like chipped teeth. Little bits of metal floating around your transmission can chew the whole thing to pieces in seconds if they get into something that they don't quite fit through.

 

hmm..that's what it sorta feels like in your explanation above (or at least the first half). How would I go about solving this problem? Do I just tell the dealership/auto shop what's going on and let them troubleshoot it?

Do you have any idea what caused this problem in the first place? How much do you think it would cost for repairs?

 

i just had my clutch replaced, and they put acura tranny fluid in it. you can def. tell the difference, its alot notchier without the gm syncromesh...lol hope that helps

 

o really? how much did that cost you? (i don't have a factory warranty btw)

 

It could be a number of things from air in the clutch lines to low fluid to a bad master or slave cylinder... the list goes on. How dark is the clutch fluid? For some reason it gets really dirty. If it's filthy, it's probably best that you flush it out. This would get any air out that might be in there at the same time.

moda_way recently had a similar problem when he put a new clutch in. In his case it was the result the new clutch being "flatter" and the throw of the the release arm was consequently too short. He fixed it by adjusting the rod that goes between the clutch pedal and the master cylinder. It might fix your issue. He can explain in more detail.